Kerala temples bans oleander flowers:

Why in News The two Kerala government-run temple boards have  recently banned the use of oleander flowers in food offered to the deity (naivedhya) and to the devotees (prasadam). The decision was taken after a young woman died of accidental poisoning from oleander leaves.

What is oleander?

• Nerium oleander, commonly known as oleander or rosebay, is a plant cultivated worldwide in tropical, subtropical, and temperate regions. Known for its drought tolerance, the shrub is often used for ornamental and landscaping purposes.
• In Kerala, the plant is known by the names of arali and kanaveeram, and is grown along highways and beaches as a natural, green fencing. There are different varieties of oleander, each with a flower of a different colour.
• It is also locally known as ‘arali’.

How is oleander used in traditional medicine?

• The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India (API), a government document that describes the quality, purity, and strength of drugs used in Ayurveda, mentions oleander. According to API, an oil prepared from the root bark can be used to treat skin diseases.
• The plant has been “frequently described in Brihattrayi, Nighantus and other classical Ayurvedic texts. Charka [Charak Samhita] has prescribed the leaves of white flowered variety externally in chronic and obstinate skin diseases of serious nature including leprosy.